Medical mission trips provide a way to give back to others by helping people in need. OBHG supports its clinicians and non-clinical employees in providing healthcare and support services to women in need across the U.S. and around the globe.
OBHG’s Dr. Deborah Bowers recently returned from a medical mission trip to Migori, Kenya. Migori is in the western region of Kenya and is located 22 km north of Tanzania. The region is home to the largest freshwater lake in Africa and contains vast agricultural plantations and lush landscapes.
In partnership with Kenya Relief, Dr. Bowers served in a women’s health clinic as part of the trip. There were two surgical teams of two doctors each. Dr. Bowers brought her surgical tools and worked alongside a fourth-year resident. They saw about 100 patients in the clinic and performed around 20 surgeries a day.
“Every two weeks a different international mission team comes to help with surgery, medicine, women’s health, clinic care, and ortho clinic care, spending a week on site. We had clinic every day we were there and operated Monday through Thursday,” said Dr. Bowers.
“Kenya Relief is currently building a women’s hospital with planned completion in the second quarter of 2023. The maternal mortality rate there is close to one percent – here in the U.S., our rate is 25/100,000! It is my plan to go back once the new hospital opens and work with local birth workers to teach safe birthing procedures and perform more surgery.” said Dr. Bowers.